Ten Top Tips for Wedding Belles

With weddings still in full swing and many of you looking ahead to next year and even 2016 (!), here are my top ten tips for making heads turn on your wedding day.

1. Decide whether you will be hiring a makeup artist or going it alone. If you decide that you would prefer to do your own makeup on the big day, consider booking in for a makeup lesson to achieve the look you want and the confidence in accomplishing it yourself.

2. At least three months before your wedding, you should be cleansing, toning and moisturising morning and evening and exfoliating twice a week. Using high quality products will really make a difference to the appearance of your skin.

3. On the big day, cleanse, tone and moisturise as usual, paying special attention to any dry patches on your skin. Then use a primer to even out any fine lines and give your foundation a smooth canvas to adhere to.

4. For a dewy complexion, choose a liquid foundation to give a perfectly natural finish. Use a brush or a sponge to apply and use your fingers to blend. Dust a light covering of translucent powder over the forehead, nose and chin area, leaving the cheeks powder free. If you wish, add a small amount of highlighter to the top of the cheekbones to catch the light.

5. Smoky eyes can be difficult to get just right, but just remember, less is more so build up the colour slowly. Start with a wash of mid brown or grey over the eyelid and then apply a darker shade into the socket line. Take a clean brush and sweep over the lid to blend the colours well. Then, using a fine tipped brush, use gel eyeliner and gently lift the eyelid up and out to ensure a smooth line. Finish with lashings of waterproof mascara.

6. Brows really frame the eyes so don’t neglect them. Using either a brow pencil or an angled brush and a matte eye shadow in a shade close to your natural brow colour, carefully fill in any gaps. To finish, use a clear mascara to comb through and shape.

7. For a dewy complexion, use a cream blush for an innocent, youthful glow. Smile into a mirror and gently press into the apples of your cheeks. For a more matte finish, use a powder blush in a soft pink and apply to the apples of the cheeks and slightly towards the temples.

8. To give your lipstick some staying power, begin by carefully outlining and filling in your lips using a lip liner in a similar colour to the lipstick you will be wearing. Then, using a brush, apply lipstick. Next, take a tissue and separate it. Using one sheet, fold in half and press between your lips to blot. Using the other sheet, place it over your lips and lightly dust translucent powder onto them. Reapply your lipstick and add gloss to give your lips a photo finish sheen.

9. To finish your makeup and ensure that it lasts all day and night, do invest in a good fixing spray. Hold about 40cm away and spritz over the face. Any excess can be gently blotted away with a tissue.

10. Finally, do ask someone to carry a small bag for top ups. Blotting papers will absorb any excess shine later in the day, lip gloss will keep your lips looking kissable and blusher is a fantastic way to freshen your look. The most important beauty tip of all though, is to keep smiling… as if you’ll be able to stop!